We have followed the plight of women in Afghanistan as both the Taliban and the government roll back on advances in women’s rights after the U.S. invasion. Now another disturbing video has surfaced where dozens of men cheer as a man pumps round afer round into a woman accused of adultery. As nine shots are fired into her, the men cheer “God is Great!” in ecstatic celebration, as shown in the video accompanying the article below. Notably, this killing took place not in some far off province but the village of Qimchok to the north of Kabul.
The burqa-clad woman is shown sitting on the rocky ground as the man pointing a rifle at her from a few feet away fires the shots into her. It is not until the third shot that she actually falls over. The scene thrills the dozens of men on a hillside who cheer: “God is great!”
To make this barbaric scene complete, it turns out that two Taliban commanders had a dispute over their claims to the woman. Parwan province governor Abdul Basir Salangi said that they decided to accuse her of adultery “in order to save face.” Both of those commanders were later killed by a third Taliban commander.
The Human Rights Watch has found that nearly nine out of 10 women suffer physical, sexual, or psychological violence or forced marriage at least once in their lifetimes.
If you recall, we previously discussed how our ally Hamid Karzai has called women secondary to men and harassed efforts to create shelters for women. Yet our men and women continue to fight in this country for a legal system that denies basic rights to women and religious minorities — as well as continuing to spend billions as we close programs for lack of funding in the U.S.
Source: CNN
I’ve been gone a while, and commented a couple of times (under Chris H., this is CLH). I love to see the debate still going strong :). I’ve been out of it for a bit, going through chemo (for a non cancer heart issue, oddly enough) so I’ve been loopier than a republican at a PETA meeting.
ElsieDL, you have written very well about the challenges facing women in Afghanistan. I was there as a military member, and the most lasting memories I have there is of some horrific abuses of women in that culture. Thank you very, very much for continuing one of the most difficult, dangerous, and heart breaking jobs that anyone could ever ask for. My duty was as a killer, your is as a savior, and I would much rather have had your job (though I suspect it’s a bit more stressful than mine ever was). Keep up the good fight!
O.S. @ 0935-
Military commanders (and I mean this as a genuine observation, and of course subject to bias error) seem to have been given the same treatment here as politicians. While their job can include political acts, and while the can include politcal policies in their decision making, ultimatley they don’t decide the overarching strategy involved. That is a politcal function, and while US officers are no less prone to error than any other, they are indeed very well educated and trained people, especially at the flag rank. Those of you quoting Sun Tzu might better direct that to the politcal decisions being made by the people stateside, because if the US Military was given an unfettered hand in defeating an enemy, that enemy would disappear from the earth. I say that not as a braggard or in hyperbole, but as a statement of fact. Even using non-nuclear means, simply killing people is a relativley straightforward and simple task. If the military were given the objective, “make the Afghanistan nation/Taliban unable to in any way threaten the US or its interests to any extent” and were then left to execute that policy, there would not be an Afghanistan citizen left alive today. The difference in combat power between the US Military and the tribes is so vast that it really defies comprehension. The current problems there are because politics and changing and stupid polictical motivations are involved, and because in the end, we’re not actually monsters out to eradicate an entire race. Sun Tzu would be aghast at our policy of discriminating between civilian and combatant, and of trying to rebuild or aid the in any way. He was a brutal, harsh, and murderous sociopath, let’s not forget.
But I may be arguing a rather un-important point. The main point is that I agree with most everything else said- the focus should have been on mitigating the Taliban and Al-Quada’s ability to recruit and arm themselves using limited military action, followed by an investment in their infrastructure and their economy. When people are prosperous, they tend not to be quite so fanatical in their religious beliefs. (Tendency, not a rule, of course.) Education, infrastruture, and rule of law are the keys to any successful and humanitarian culutre, and simply blowing up small bits and pieces of a country will do nothing to further any of those areas. So I’m going to go back on what I’ve said in other posts and say get the heck out now. We can’t do any more there, not with military personnel. People like Elsie, and people within that culture who want to make a difference, are the key. Our only role should be giving them the resources they need.
So sad. How do we know they were ‘Taliban’? I am not trying to make a point here… just genuinely curious. It sounds both strange and ‘convenient’ that both men were supposedly killed by a ‘third Taliban commander’. It goes on to say they are ‘still looking for people involved’, leaves one to wonder how committed ‘governor’ Salangi is to stopping this sort of thing…
Well said, idealist707.
I could tell that you and ElsieDL were misunderstanding each other, at times. I hope that your latest effort will relieve any hurt feelings.
We thank Elsie for her humanitarian work.
R.I.P.
ElsieDL,
Let me clarify my meaning/intent or ask what is yet unanswered with some importance I feel. My old stuff and your old stuff marked by ==== and new questions by ———-similarly above and below.
=================
Your experience in Afghanistan is not clear as to what activities and level of contact you had, nor your language skills.=========
————————
Do you speak with any fluency any of the three major languages, or did you have your own interpreter with you or were you forced to use what was offered at each point on the way.
We are both non-experts on the UN and each comments as he/she sees it. No apparent conflict.
——————————
================
YOU WROTE: “The Afghan Constitution gives both girls and boys equal access to education and believe it or not, millions of both are now going to school. Two friends of mine I worked with while in Afghanistan would beg to differ strongly with you as they have been living and working there with the Ministry of Education and writing the curriculum for Kindergarten through high school and have worked with teams to train thousands and thousands of teachers, both male and female, including hands-on science, one of the subjects I taught there.”============END YOUR QUOTE
—————————-
I say now.
What sources give you confidence in these figures in education? Is the education solely madhrasah or equivalent. What is the level of participation, particularly with respect to women in the communities? And do your field observations confirm this figure?
As for money, my view is based on the persistance of corruption leading aid moneys into the pockets of the leaders. Perhaps your friends could offer other info. Please do come with it, instead of only referring to them as a rebuttal to what I am unsure. I am open to facts. I welcome them, that is where my opinions come from.—————
=============YOU SAID:
As far as the attacks, from among which ALEC, on the rights of women here in the US, I don’t need you to point them out, as I am following any developments like anti-abortion (and other birth control methods) closely.
==============
—————-
I asked for yóur opinion. But I was/am aware that many here spend time berating the world ie Afghanistan around them for their failures, I asked if you had that in mind that we have our failings too. I think ours in fact are worse, as we are more fortunate in terms of schooling, etc. So why did you think I was telling you about something you are well aware of?
Don’t get it but can understand you would be irritated.
Guess my direct manner is at fault. Hmmm!
————————-
————————
Comment: With 25 years as a teacher I understand you and your interest better. What languages do you speak? I speak only half english and half swedish, and much smaller fractions spanish, italian and french. Did you get any hands on experience with negotiations with local jurgas on setting up schools, school nurse function, hygiene and health as subjects to be taught, school attendance requirements as to frequency. etc. Or are these dictated by local government with the backing of regional governors or of Kabul?
I have alway actively supported education as the solution to all our problems, and those of the world as well.
I have seen Singapore emerge thanks due to education, and the list of other countries is long. Here we seem to be dug in so that education has become something which we can’t cover here—a big problem in other words.
Looking forward to cooperating with you where possible and helpful.
————————-